"GW matte finish -cloudy white" Topic

Hi, A friend has had his figs turn cloudy white after using GW's matte varnish.
I've searched the previous messages and have noticed that some say re-spraying is a solution.
Can anyone give some helpful advice or technique for saving these figs from a total repaint?
Thanks, Steve

Do what the other posts suggested. Respray on a day without much humidity.

Over Spraying with gloss and then matt again will usually clear the whiteness. Obviously, you do end up with thick varnish on the model but its better than re-painting.

For future reference, this often happens as a result of holding the can too far from the target. The varnish *insert techical babble I've forgotten* before it gets to the target & hence appears white. Dont understand it, but I've had it proven right in front of me!

And it has nothing to do with it being specifically GW varnish!! I have had this problem at one time or another with ALL the spray varnishes. ESPECIALLY Armory. I have gone to using Krylon Matte Finish. It's only 3 bucks a can at Walmart, and I have had NO problems with it (so far). Fingers remain crossed...

It happened to me with GW varnish. I managed to salvage the figures by 'painting' them with white spirit and then respraying the next day.

hi just to say I have always used the matt spray until a few times ago when i noticed that there is a cloud and dispersion on miniatures and the matt is giving not a coat but a very dulling effect also the protection is zero if scraped it takes all the paint with it down to the metal (I undercoat all my miniatures and there very hevally painted and washed in my process)the moisture fault is not applicable to mine, all i can say is the batch was faulty os the combination has changed it has forced me to go out to the hardware store 1 medium tim of hard silk varnish and re-cover my past matt coated stuff, the tin is still full and tha coat is hard and does enhance the miniatures.
like i said may be a ppor batch but its not worth all your painting time and patience being ruined, be safe and protect your pieces.

Tony

Don't blame it on GW. Humidity, wind, heat, cold, fog, distance from can to figure, length of shake on can, temperature of can, ambient air temperature, and SO much more are far more a factor than brand. I've used cheap cans and expensive and they all have had good and bad problems. All of them I've traced to either forgetting that it was too cold, not shaking the can enough, and so forth.

Only once did it trace to the can, and that was because I'd accidentally picked up "Krystal" instead of "clear" matte.

Steve,
Thanks for posting up for me, Ok guys I'm the poor unfortunate soul that this particular event has happened to.
Steve I forgot to tell you earlier when we talked that the models in question are painted black and highlighted along the edges of the armor panels. That being said I'm wondering if maybe the "frosting" only happens on minis painted black. Let me first say that I've used GW's matte sealer before and this has not happened at least with this can as it is about half way empty. I have used it on other minis but none of them were painted black they were finished in camo colors. I have tried the respray method inside my house in the basement where it is much cooler but not humid as I've already got my central ac going.
Tuffskull that is an idea that might work however I do not use gloss sprays for that very reason that it goes on thick, I use testors model masters semi-gloss so I'll give that a try.
Respectfully, TankaLot

Actually, there are some problems specific to GW varnish. They know about it and have replaced batches of cans that we've gotten at the store that had this problem in the past. I believe it has to do with too much talc in the mix (which is the flattening agent).

I had a similar experience happen to me. Mine was unable to be saved. I called GW and told them, and they took down the batch # off the can. They even send me a replacement can, replacement decals for the marine I was painting, and even a replacement marine. All I lost was 4 hours of painting (which sucked).

It's not due to talc or anything. It's either humidity, or wet paint or water on the model (like fresh decals) almost all the time usually.

Another cause though can be not shaking the bottle enough. Happened to me when I used a Testors matte seal and forgot to shake it. One very white model was the result :)

-Tim

As a rule of thumb, I run a sink full of hot water and stand the can of any spray up in it. Let it sit for about 10 minutes then shake for all you are worth. This seems to work wonders with and spray paint or finish.............BILL

Tim has got it. It is mainly caused by either humidity or paint that is not yet cured, trapping moisture between the mini and varnish layers. This is more likely to happen on smooth surfaces where paint may pool, or with a thick coat of paint. I get this occasionally with Testors Dullcote.

There seems to be some colors in some ranges that makes this happen more frequently. Coat d'arms Black is a big problem. You could let it cure overnight and you'll still get a white haze.

The cure is to spray the model again. Not sure why this works, but it does.

I know it does take longer but i spray on first then I paint some on the gives in a nice matte shell on the miniature. It also serves to protect them very nicely if you have friends that have a tendency to drop them like I do

If there's no problem with the Purity Seal stuff, why has GW withdrawn it from sale, at least in the UK?

I was a regular user, then one day a new can suddenly frosted my figures. I took them into the store, and they did their best to be helpful, but couldn't correct the situation. Figures ruined. The staff then claimed it must be a faulty can and gave me a new one: same problem.

Now they tell me that the Purity Seal has been withdrawn and that GW are in a dispute with the manufacturer. There was certainly no Purity Seal on sale at my local GW last weekend.

Perhaps the Hivemind could clarify the situation for me.

Note that I've no anti-EE axe to grind, as I'll still buy paint, brushes etc: I just want to know whether some kind of Matt Varnish is going to be available, and if so, when.

Oh, and it would be nice to know whether there was a batch problem with varnish from the new manufacturer. It's not that I'm going to claim compensation: I just want to know that my varnishing technique wasn't wrong!

SirG

My FLGS could no longer get hold of "Purity Seal" (ffs..) about 3 weeks ago. No sign of a new replacement batch yet.

JDE

GW is the only varnish I have used which causes that irritating bubble effect - quite ruins a figure if you get too many bubbles of varnish. Does anyone know why that happens (perhaps I shake the bottle too vigourously - does that create a "champagne" effect?).

Giles

With all due respect to Mr. Hivemind, I have **only** had this problem with GW Matte Finish. I had purchased four different cans of GW finish over the course of two years. Each time the person selling me the can (a person whom I trust due to his own prodigious painting ability) assured me that the difficulty I had experienced had been corrected.

I used all the tricks. I once stood and shook the can for five minutes. I used it in 70 degree (F) weather with 30% Humidity. In controlled AC environments, in my garage with the door open and the breeze blowing. Each time it went cloudy on me. All four cans. I totally ruined a Tau Hammerhead (even respraying it didn't work). I am sorry Mr. Hivemind, the GW primer is **Great**, but the finish I will never use again.

I had a problem with the Armory Finish "Glopping" or coming out like silly string. So, now I use Krylon Matte Finish for my large projects (i.e. my full troop of Long Gunners) and Testor's Dull Cote for my individual figures (i.e. Fantasy Fighter for D&D.)

I strongly recommend the Krylon. Just be sure to "Pre-Spray" on a scrap to make sure it is not a "semi-gloss" batch.

Andy Welkley
"Your Phrendlee Hevy Phyzx T-chrr"

Agree with Sir Garnet, GW sealer has been withdrawn from sale in the UK. I was told it was a "problem with the new propellant".

While humidity, distance from figures etc all affect the appearance of the varnish, it is also true that GW are having trouble with both of their spray varnishes. I used to work for the EE until recently so I know this for a fact.
The problem with the matt varnish has already been covered in the post and it was down to several faulty batches. This has a massive widespread effect because cans of varnish stay in stockrooms & on shelves for a great length of time (due to rate of sale) and as such, by the time a problem is noticed it as already affected a great number of people.
The problem with the gloss varnish ('ardcoat) is that the batches in question are drawing the colours from basecoats through the final topcoats. I've been told this is down to the formulation of the varnish itself and affected batches have been replaced.

All too late for some, unfortunately.